[nabs-l] Foreign language

[Serena]

One correction: capital letters are actually written as dots 4 and 6 and 
periods are dot 3.

Serena


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jedi" <loneblindjedi at samobile.net>
To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 12:46 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Foreign language


> Hi.
>
> I have taken a foreign language in college with little to no experience 
> beforehand. I took American sign Language (ASL). ASL presents some unusual 
> challenges that you won't have to deal with in Spanish. For example, I 
> needed a tactile interpreter, or someone who would mimic what he or she 
> saw as people sign throughout the classroom so I know who's saying what 
> and what's being said. Additionally, having a tactile interpreter also 
> meant more intimate practice with communication, most especially when my 
> interpreter was deaf. I was able to obtain this service through my DSS, 
> and it was filed as interpretive services and was provided through the 
> deaf/HH program already in place. As usual, I handled everything else in 
> the way of accessibility.
>
> I have also taken spanish in high school, and I think that my experience 
> in high school is relevant to your question. First and foremost, you will 
> certainly want your text book in an accessible format. I would highly 
> recommend getting your book in Braille if at all possible so you can learn 
> how things are spelled and practice your reading and writing skills. Most 
> spanish text books produced for english speaking students are produced in 
> grade one spanish Braille. There are only minor differences between this 
> style of Braille and English Grade 1 Braille. All letters are the same 
> except letters with acute accents. I will list the acute letters and other 
> special characters below near the end of this message. You may have to do 
> some negotiating to get your book. I would suggest working on the book end 
> of things a quarter or semester prior to your entrance into the class. 
> Also note that many electronic note takers support Braille in foreign 
> languages. That said, you may be able to obtain an electronic Braille file 
> from a transcriber so you won't have to carry volumes of Braille. 
> Otherwise, a standard file will suffice, just don't try to read it with 
> English speech synthesizers as they won't know how to decode what's 
> written. Incidentally, writing in Braille using a note taker is doable 
> with a standard Braille file, just don't try to decode it with speech 
> synthesizers unless you have a preinstalled language pack. Your disability 
> service should pay for the transcription of your text book. If not, check 
> with rehab. If not rehab, this might be a good use of any scholarship 
> money you have, particularly if Spanish is part of your major or course of 
> study. Best case scenario, a local transcriber will already have the 
> material and simply charge you for the file. check around at all the usual 
> hot spots for Braille texts; you may find what you're looking for.
>
> Frankly, there's no real need to audit the class before actually taking 
> it. If your girlfriend wants to take the class first, by all means, her 
> experience should be helpful when you decide to take the class. Besides an 
> accessible text book, I would highly recommend hiring a reader for the 
> class. Your reader's responsibility is to read any text not readily 
> available in an accessible format, or text that isn't usable by a KNFB 
> Reader with spanish software if you have one. Your reader can also scribe 
> tests for you if you've decided that such an arrangement is appropriate. 
> Your reader would serve one final function: she or he would be responsible 
> for providing you descriptions of visual material such as information 
> while watching films in spanish, descriptions of objects used to convey 
> concepts such as pictures or actual objects that you are to describe in 
> Spanish, or any other necessary info. For example, your teacher may hold 
> up a ruler and ask you to name it in Spanish. Your reader would tell you 
> it's a ruler in English or hand you a ruler to touch for your 
> identification. I would recommend that your reader be a
> Spanish speaker or an experienced student who has already taken the class.
>
> I have used these techniques in both spanish and ASL classes with 
> excellent success. You may encounter weirdness on the part of the 
> instructor who might not see a way to properly educate you as a blind 
> student. No worries. You will simply have to explain how you will do what 
> just as always.
>
> One more word on texts and homework. I would highly suggest doing your 
> homework using a Braille note taker if you have one. This way, you can 
> practice reading and writing skills and prepare a printed copy for your 
> instructor either in paper or by electronic means. Otherwise, do the 
> homework in Braille, then meet with your scribe who will take dictation 
> from you into print based on what you've written in Braille.
>
> As promised, here is a brief table of Braille acute letters. Others may 
> add or amend to this summary if need be.
>
> Capital letters are the same in Spanish Braile as in English Braille.
>
> Periods and commas are also the same. So should be true of dashes, colons, 
> and semi-colins.
>
> Numerals are the same and are often written in literary format as opposed 
> to Nemmeth format.
>
> Exclamation and question marks are placed on either end of a sentence in 
> print and in Braille. In print, the preceding mark is inverted while the 
> mark at the end of the sentence appears as usual. in Braille, exclamation 
> and question marks also appear both at the beginning and end of the 
> sentence, but there are no inversions (the marks look the same on either 
> end). The question mark is written with dots 2 and 6, then is followed by 
> capital signs, the sentence itself, then the final question mark written 
> again with dots 2 and 6. Exclamation marks follow the same rules but are 
> written with dots 2, 3, and 5. Quotation marks are the same in Spanish as 
> they are in English Braille.
>
> Acute letters
>
> A is written with dots 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6.
> E is written with dots 2, 3, 4, and 6.
> I is written with dots 3 and 4.
> O is written with dots 3, 4, and 6.
> U is written with dots 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
> I believe the "ch" letter of the Spanish alphabet doesn't change; it is 
> still written with dots 1 and 6.
> Double L is written simply as two L's as in English.
> N with a tilde over it is written with dots 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6.
> All non-accented letters are written as usual.
>
> Let me know if you have further questions.
> Original message:
>
>> I am curious if any blind students have learned a second language in
>> college, with no previous experience of middle school or high school
>> courses. I am interested in learning Spanish, and would like some
>> suggestions on how to do this from scratch. I have contemplated the idea 
>> of
>> having my girlfriend take an entry course, as she is also interested, and
>> meanwhile auditing the course in order to get a feel of what it will be
>> like.
>
>> There is also the topic of Spanish Braille, and then additional resources 
>> of
>> tutoring and audio materials. I would love any feed back you guys might
>> have, and if necessary you can feel free to reply to the following 
>> address
>> and I can post a digest version of the responses if it gets too 
>> cluttered.
>
>> j.mandarino1 at comcast.net
>
>> Sincerely,
>
>> Mandarino
>
>
>
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>
> -- 
> REspectfully,
> Jedi
>
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